Prep pitcher in Japan throws 250 pitches

I was passed along this story from coworker Michael Chin, so all the credit goes to him for this find.

We’re taken to Tokyo, where a young prep pitcher from Kawamoto technical high school was hit for 66 (!) runs in less than two innings. In the first inning 26 runs were scored, 40 runs came across in a fraction of the second. At that point, 250 pitches later, the coach threw in the towel.

“At that pace the pitcher would have thrown around 500 pitches in four innings,” Kawamoto’s coach was quoted as saying. “There was a danger he could get injured.”

No word on whether the kid’s arm has fallen off, but I imagine at least his psyche took a damaging blow.

Apparently, there’s only one capable pitcher on that team. Could no one have done at least an equal, if not better, job on the mound.

Kind of brings a new light to the sportsmanship debate. The score will go down as 9-0 in the record books, an attempt in hindsight to cover up the debacle it seems.